


updates from the void

by murdershewrote



Category: The Martian (2015), The Martian - Andy Weir
Genre: Developing Friendships, E-mail, Epistolary, Gen, Long-Distance Friendship, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 11:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11531583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/murdershewrote/pseuds/murdershewrote
Summary: During the long journey back to earth, Mark and Mindy trade journals and emails.





	updates from the void

> FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: log reports  
>  ATTACHED: videologs.zip  
>
>> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: log reports  
>  Mr. Watney,
>> 
>> I received this email in error. Were you perhaps trying to contact the director of SatCon? If so, he can be reached at robert.w.james@jsc.nasa.gov. I apologize for the mix-up and please let me know if I can be of any further help.
>> 
>> Mindy L. Park  
>  SatCon Technician  
>  2101 NASA Parkway  
>  Houston, TX 77058  
>  Phone: (281) 483-0000  
>  FAX: (281) 483-2000
>> 
>> _Notice: This communication, including attachments, may contain information that is confidential and protected by legal privilege. It constitutes non-public information intended to be conveyed only to the designated recipient(s). If the reader or recipient of this communication is not the intended recipient, or you believe that you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and promptly delete this e-mail, including attachments without reading or saving them in any manner. The unauthorized use, dissemination, distribution, or reproduction of this e-mail, including attachments, is prohibited and may be unlawful._
>>
>>> FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: RE: log reports
>>> 
>>> Unless I have the wrong Mindy, I’m pretty sure I did not send that email in error. You are the one who was monitoring the satellite feed and figured out I was alive, right? (Also why are you apologizing for receiving an email?)
>>> 
>>> Mark 
>>>
>>>> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: RE: RE: log reports
>>>> 
>>>> Mr. Watney,
>>>> 
>>>> I was the one who first brought up the possibility of you being alive, but that was only because I had the misfortune to be working the graveyard shift. I don’t understand why I qualify for a personal email? I’m sure the JPL crew would be delighted to hear from you.
>>>> 
>>>> Mindy L. Park  
>  SatCon Technician  
>  2101 NASA Parkway  
>  Houston, TX 77058  
>  Phone: (281) 483-0000  
>  FAX: (281) 483-2000  
>>>>
>>>>> FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: RE: RE: log reports
>>>>> 
>>>>> Maybe because you almost single-handedly watched me the entire time I was on Mars? And because I just read your entire SolLog? 

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: SolLog?

What do you mean you read my SolLog? How do you even have that?

Mindy Park 

> FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: SolLog?
> 
> Venkat Kapoor sent it to me, I had assumed with your permission, but apparently not. He said it would be a good overview of how things were going at NASA and on Earth and that’d be easy for me to get a good timeline because it is written in sols. I was kidding, earlier, I haven’t read the whole thing, just the very beginning. I’ll stop now, obviously, since it is a personal thing that was taken without your permission. I’m sorry for reading it and for confusing you with my earlier emails, I’ll definitely yell at Venkat about it.
> 
> My apologies,
> 
> Mark Watney

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: don’t yell at Venkat

Please don’t yell at Venkat, I’m sure he didn’t mean any harm. I don’t mind you reading it I was just shocked anyone had seen it at all. I guess it’s only fair you read my stuff considering I satellite stalked you. If you are going to read it, would you mind adding in any notes or corrections? I’m eventually going to have to type up a formal report and would appreciate the input. If you have time, of course.

Mindy Park 

> FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: don’t yell at Venkat
> 
> Fine, I’ll wait until I get back planetside, and then I can yell at Venkat in person, about several things at once. Apparently I’m still in “suboptimal condition” and am therefore restricted from doing much of anything. Two years on Mars and they think duties on the _Hermes_ will kill me? Please. I’m bored to tears and would be happy to help correct stuff. But only if you watch my video logs, looking at pictures of somebody is not the same as reading their journal. You watch my stuff, I’ll read your stuff, I’ll help with your report, you keep me from dying of boredom, and we’ll call it even.
> 
> Mark

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: space pap

They put you in charge of 15 satellites all aimed at me??? I’m starting to understand the space paparazzi thing.

 

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: duct tape

I’m buying stock in duct tape, oh my god.

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: mitch henderson is a dick

want me to kick his ass for you?

> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: mitch henderson is a dick
> 
> NO.

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: aquaman

Why wouldn’t Aquaman be able to communicate with whales? I assumed he had power over everything aquatic.

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: bibimbap

I’ve never had bibimbap but I’m craving it just based on your descriptions. Did your mom really break into NASA just to bring you lunch???

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: alcohol

I owe everyone at NASA so many drinks, don’t I.  

> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: alcohol
> 
> So, so many drinks.

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: bath

You took a bath. On Mars. Do you know how many times I got to take a bath? Do you know how many times I even took a _shower?_ HQ smelled _rank,_ let me tell you.

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: stamps

There are seriously stamps with my face on them???

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: cable news

How many hours of airtime did the TV networks devote to me? 

> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: cable news
> 
> CNN had a half-hour each night. I didn’t watch a whole lot of news though, so you should probably ask somebody else.

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: condiments

Which is better ketchup, mustard, or vicodin?

 

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: #@%&

PR is going to have such a hard time censoring all your stuff. I hope you know that you will go down in history and have your profanity quoted. 

> FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: #@%&
> 
> I was _stranded on Mars_ I think I’m entitled to some swearing. And this shouldn’t come as a surprise, you saw what I said when we first got communications up using Pathfinder.
>
>> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: RE: #@%&
>> 
>> Point taken. Still, I think you underestimate exactly how many science classes your videos are going to be shown in. 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: out of morbid curiosity

What percentage of people were advocating leaving me to die? 

> FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
>  SUBJECT: RE: out of morbid curiosity
> 
> …I’m gonna leave that question for your therapist to answer. (Also, I have no idea. We were too busy keeping you alive to listen to the pessimists.)

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: futon

Head paparazzo and they still don’t give you your own office? I’d go on strike. What made you choose Venkat’s office to put your futon in? Shoulda used the Director’s.

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: pirate unicorns

The nightmares thread has 86 emails and that is just way too depressing so as reigning king of mars I am starting a new thread for terrible dreams and naming it pirate unicorns.

 

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: bedroom

The analysts all though the pop-out tent was for a workshop, but no, you just wanted a bedroom. 

 

FROM: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: touchdown

You’re coming to the landing right?

Right?

Mindy if you don’t say you are coming I will forward everything you have ever sent to me to Venkat and get him to force you to come.

 

FROM: mindy.l.park@jsc.nasa.gov  
TO: mark.j.watney@jsc.nasa.gov  
SUBJECT: Welcome home, Mark

I’ll be there.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while ago and just rediscovered it after watching the movie again. I'm pretty sure I spent longer formatting it than writing it. If anyone has any suggestions for how to make it easier to read, please let me know. 
> 
> Also, does Mark go by Mr. Watney or Dr. Watney? 
> 
> Blanket permission for transformative works and collections. 
> 
> I'm on [tumblr.](http://murdersshewrote.tumblr.com)


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